Player Influence

While hoping for his presence in the 2026 World Cup, Lamine Yamal addressed Neymar's influence on Barcelona's preparation for the comeback in the UEFA Champions League against Atletico Madrid. Lamine Yamal has been the loudest voice coming out of FC Barcelona over the past week as the club gears up for a potential historic comeback against Atletico Madrid in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. With the second leg just one day away, the 18-year-old star drew on the influence of Neymar as a source of inspiration and made a heartfelt plea for the Brazilian to be at the World Cup. Before nodding to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 comeback, another landmark reversal closer to Barcelona’s own history was the one engineered by Neymar against PSG in the 2016-17 season. By scoring a brace and delivering the winning assist for Sergi Roberto, the Blaugrana completed one of the most iconic comebacks in sports history, and the scenario Barcelona now face against Atletico carries a strikingly similar feel. At Monday’s press conference, Yamal was asked whether he had revisited that iconic Neymar performance for inspiration, and the young star was effusive in his praise for his idol: “I have seen it many times; I have seen it live as well. Neymar is a player who defined my entire childhood—he is my idol—and I will always be grateful for what he has given to football.“ Yamal then went a step further, expressing his hope that Neymar would be part of the 2026 World Cup. “I believe he inspires us all. He is the kind of player you pay for a ticket to see; three days would pass after a match, and you’d watch it again just to see his plays. I want to thank him for what he has given to the game, and I hope he can be at the World Cup,” he concluded. Lionel Messi and Neymar of Barcelona celebrate against PSG in 2017. Despite frequently drawing comparisons to Lionel Messi due to his playing style, Yamal has consistently been eager to highlight Neymar’s influence on his development. The Spanish teenager had the chance to meet his idol in person back in June 2025, just before the start of the current season. Although Yamal was Barcelona‘s brightest spark in the first leg, Atletico stayed compact and goalkeeper Juan Musso produced a series of outstanding saves to keep him off the scoresheet. Now heading to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, the Blaugrana must wipe out a two-goal deficit from the opening whistle, a challenge Yamal is embracing with the same belief that has fueled some of the great comebacks in the club’s history. Yamal eager to make his mark in the second leg Despite being reduced to ten men for the entire second half of the first leg, Barcelona still dominated possession and created chances, with Yamal often at the center of their most dangerous moments. Far from feeling weighed down by the pressure of being the team’s go-to player, the teenager sees it as fuel. Yamal shared his mindset heading into the match and made clear just how much he is relishing the moment: “I’m very excited. I’ve always said that at the start of the season, my level was questioned a lot because of my pubalgia, and I like it when these moments arrive because this is when the real players show up. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.“ Yamal has already proven he can deliver on the biggest stages, scoring against France and setting up the winner against England in Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 campaign, and leading Barcelona’s attack in last season’s Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan despite the eventual defeat. With the weight of the occasion on his shoulders at just 18 years old, Yamal appears ready to rise to it once more.

Try as he might, Cristiano Ronaldo is still waiting for his first goal at Euro 2024, despite having 20 shots at goal during the tournament so far. Maybe, time is finally catching up with the 39 year old. If that’s the case - is the power and influence Ronaldo has on this Portugal side still worth it? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by Oli Kay, who was in the Frankfurt Arena for Portugal's last 16 tie with Slovenia on Monday night, as well as Tim Spiers to analyse what Ronaldo brings both on and off the pitch ahead of Friday's quarter-final against France. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Oli Kay and Tim Spiers Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Related articles: Cristiano Ronaldo cannot rage against the dying of the light forever - The Athletic The cult of Cristiano Ronaldo - The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Start your day with the perfect blend of news and analysis from the world’s game with the Morning Footy podcast. Download and follow Morning Footy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! The Morning Footy crew welcome in Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi to talk about the club's current form, the competition in midfield, celebrating with Lionel Messi on the field and introducing the eight-time Ballon d'Or to his favorite pizza, and what his proudest moments as a footballer are. The group also discuss the upcoming Olympics and team USA. Morning Footy is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts. Follow the Morning Footy podcast on Twitter: @CBSSportsGolazo, @susannahcollins, @nicocantor1, @NotAlexis, @CharlieDavies9 For more soccer coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ Watch UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, Serie A, Coppa Italia, CONCACAF, NWSL, Scottish Premiership, Argentine Primera División by subscribing Paramount Plus: https://www.paramountplus.com/home/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices